SUPER FURRY ANIMALS | LIVE REVIEW
Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union, Fri 1 May
Super Furry Animals came out of hibernation for their first Welsh gig in six years with a spectacular set of hits and hidden gems at Cardiff University. Their prolonged hiatus was quickly forgiven by the sell-out crowd crammed into the confines of the Great Hall, and it felt like the hometown heroes had never been away.
Tickets for a trio of Cardiff dates were snapped up within hours of going on sale, although a last-minute warmup gig meant the tour actually started in Gloucester rather than the Welsh capital. Regardless, the pre-gig buzz was electric, with many official SFA bobble hats dotted amongst the hordes.
Support was provided by The Magic Numbers, whose sweet singalongs of bygone summers including Forever Lost and Love Me Like You were well received. Yet there was only one thing the Furries’ faithful were waiting for. With the light show going into overdrive, the band emerged in gleaming white boiler suits as the roof came unglued.
Their live shows have always been a trippy and transcendental experience, so it was fitting that the atmospheric instrumental (A) Touch Sensitive kicked things off. Flashing images of Pete Fowler’s amazing artwork also provided a suitably psychedelic backdrop to the silhouettes rocking out on centre-stage. A quick-fire triple header of (Drawing) Rings Around The World, Do Or Die and God! Show Me Magic maintained the fever pitch noise levels.
There was barely pause for breath either, classic early track Bad Behaviour steamrollering through the room. The gentle acoustic strumming of Demons gave everyone a much-needed respite before bursting into life with a catchy chorus. The Super Furries have a sound entirely of their own, and few can match their experimental yet exciting approach to songwriting. Hence, the Caribbean kettle drums of Northern Lites are followed by a handful of tunes from the groundbreaking Mwng.
This tour coincides with the 15th anniversary re-release of that album. Yet playing four of its songs in succession may not have been the wisest idea: it produced a lull in proceedings after the frantic start. Whilst all good tunes, Mwng is noted for its melancholic nature; moreover, the fact that it’s entirely sung in Welsh perhaps makes the tracks harder for a live audience to engage with. Nevertheless, hearing them was a treat for hardcore fans, as the album only toured in America and Japan originally, and never in Wales.
There was something in the setlist for everyone, though. The likes of Hello Sunshine and Hometown Unicorn produced mass sing-alongs, whilst album tracks like Bleed Forever, Zoom! and Run! Christian, Run! demonstrated the depth of their back catalogue. Plus, debut B-side Arnofio/Glô In The Dark was included to appease the purists. Yet it was Ice Hockey Hair that provided a fitting finale, its slow-building momentum giving way to an unforgettable chorus and spiralling rock riffs.
No Super Furries gig is complete without its madcap moments. Commandeering the SFA tank into the venue was probably against the health and safety regulations, but the yeti suits of yesteryear made a welcome return for an epic encore. Gruff Rhys went one better, too, by wearing his favourite red Power Rangers helmet. His harmonica intro preceded the techno groove of Slow Life, whilst the stomping rock of Golden Retriever and Receptacle For The Respectable cranked up the hysteria levels a few more notches. With the audience already enraptured, the band amusingly waved cue cards reading “PROLONGED APPLAUSE”, “LOUDER” and “APE SHIT!”
There was still time for the standard set-closer The Man Don’t Give A Fuck to bring the house down and ensure that the adrenaline cascaded down from the stage and into the Cardiff night. With the General Election imminent and the British public’s apathy and disillusion at an all-time high, this protest song’s politician-baiting sentiments have never been more apt. As the gig reached a deafening crescendo, the three dueling guitarists held their instruments together in a holy trinity that not only reunited the band, but also the whole room.
The most telling line of the show was the ironic coda of Ice Hockey Hair: “Now that you’re here, tell me you’re a non-believer.” Thankfully, the Super Furries were preaching to the converted.
words NEIL COLLINS photos KEVIN PICK